All fish / Cichlidae

Loriae Mbuna

Melanochromis loriae

Also known as melanochromis loriae, loriae cichlid, lori mbuna, melanochromis lori

This rock-dwelling mbuna has a slim, elongated body. Males are dark blue to black with paler horizontal stripes, and females are usually yellowish brown with darker stripes. Keepers who like Malawi cichlid communities buy it for its strong colours and lively behaviour.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7.5 to 8.5

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

One male with three or more females, in a crowded mbuna tank

Diet

Omnivore: algae and aufwuchs, spirulina-based flakes and pellets, small crustaceans such as mysis

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

6 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Endemic to Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania)

Breeding

It is a maternal mouthbrooder. The female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth for about three weeks, and it breeds readily in a well-kept mbuna tank.

Good to know

Males fight hard with each other and with similar-looking striped Melanochromis, so give it plenty of rockwork and avoid keeping it with lookalike species. It is easily confused with M. auratus and M. joanjohnsonae, and mixing them can produce hybrids.